Did you know that the existence of beauty products dates all the way back to 4,000 B.C.E.? In ancient Egypt, eye cosmetics were kept in cylindrical containers made out of either stone, ceramics, or wood for preservation.1 When they were first created, these eye products were used by their people for adornment reasons. However, as time went on, Egyptians developed kohl – a paste which was made up of mainly galena, a mineral form of lead sulfide. They realized this could be used for medicinal purposes as well—causing the quality and quantity of eye cosmetics throughout Egypt to increase drastically.
By 2,000 B.C.E. the accustomed eye cosmetic known as kohl was advanced drastically. Scientists have recently used a method called wet chemistry to determine this evolution.1 In addition to kohl being used to add personal sense of style to their faces, it was also a new and quite interesting source of protection. Therefore, both men and women took advantage of kohl.
At first, kohl was not used in the way we use eyeshadow today, but more like eyeliner. An extremely thick ring of eyeliner surrounded the whole eye.3 It also was not only used for beautifying purposes, but also for protection.4 Since the first kohl creation was a very dark black shade, it reflected light off of the dark pigment, protecting the eyes from harmful sun rays. Kohl was used to surround the eyes of both men and women. Simultaneously, kohl’s main ingredient, galena, was known as a disinfectant among the people of Egypt. This led the ancient Egyptian physicians to lean toward kohl as a prescribed drug for various diagnosed eye diseases.1 The Egyptians didn’t necessarily benefit aesthetically through obtaining a whole color palette of kohl. The medicinal side was extremely influential. The galena was mixed with other ingredients, including water, to create pastes of various tones. Among the most popular of these tones was a dark black and a very vibrant green.6
The deep, dark black kohl was created by the mixing of galena and soot. Soot is an extremely flaky substance that contains high amounts of carbon, which gave it the jet-black look.7 The green kohl on the other hand was made up of galena and malachite, a green pigmented rock. This rock was pummeled and mixed with the galena and water, creating a thick, vibrantly colored paste.8
Although the people of Egypt don’t use kohl the way they used to in 4,000 B.C.E., we can most certainly conclude that where we are today in the cosmetic industry would have definitely been delayed if it weren’t for the Egyptians. Their exploration of cosmetics is the base of our creams, exfoliators, and enhancers that exist on the shelves today.8
- P. Walter, et. al., “Making Make-Up in Ancient Egypt,” Nature 397, no. 6719 (Feb 11, 1999): 483-484. ↵
- P. Walter, et. al., “Making Make-Up in Ancient Egypt,” Nature 397, no. 6719 (Feb 11, 1999): 483-484. ↵
- Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, 2005, s.v. “Western Cosmetics,” by Kathy Peiss. ↵
- P. Walter, et. al., “Making Make-Up in Ancient Egypt,” Nature 397, no. 6719 (Feb 11, 1999):: 483-484. ↵
- P. Walter, et. al., “Making Make-Up in Ancient Egypt,” Nature 397, no. 6719 (Feb 11, 1999): 483-484. ↵
- F.T. Walton, “My Lady’s Toilet,” Greece & Rome 15, no. 44 (May 1946): 69. ↵
- Marguerite Johnson, Ovid on Cosmetics: Medicamina Faciei Femineae and Related Texts (United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016): 11. ↵
- Zoe Diana Draelos, “Overview: cosmetics and the art of adornment,” Dermatologic Therapy 14, No. 3 (September 2001): 175-177. ↵
- Zoe Diana Draelos, “Overview: cosmetics and the art of adornment,” Dermatologic Therapy 14, No. 3 (September 2001): 175-177. ↵
57 comments
Belene Cuellar
I never knew makeup was so influential back then in Egypt. It’s interesting to see how far makeup has come ever since ancient Egypt. The author did a good job in giving a number of advantages that came with kohl other than cosmetic purpose. For example, I didn’t know that it was also used as a way to block out harmful sun rays. I am always amazed by the number of things Egyptians have used as a way to improve their civilization. I’m glad the author chose a unique and engaging topic to write about.
Veronica Spryszynski
I was just looking for this type of article. Great information. It amazing that cosmetics date back to the 4000 BCE, and how it has evolved over time including for medical purposes. I wonder if they also had cosmetics for the lips. To me I wouldn’t like putting mashed rocks or “kohl” on my face because to me it seems unclean like as if you are getting your face dirty.
Zeresh Haman
This was really fascinating. I knew that the Egyptians created pigments for makeup, but I had no idea that these pigments had other purposes. Its amazing how in ancient times they were able to figure out that these pigments could protect your eyes, and fight diseases. I think that they were on to something, and they should come up with something like that today. Really well written and interesting read.
Briana Myers
It is very interesting how back then makeup was used for health reasons and protection. Today we use makeup just to look good. We do not use it because it will make our eye infections go away or because it will block the sun’s rays from entering our eyes. The kinds of materials that they would use to give the eye shadow its color is also very interesting. I am pretty sure that today’s makeup does not contain soot or malachite.
Alexis Renteria
I knew that cosmetics were used in Egypt, but I had no idea that they were used for medicinal purposes as well. Movies taking place in Egypt constantly show both men and women wearing kohl, but I thought it was just part of their culture. I never would have thought they used it as protection for their eyes from the suns rays. Its also fascinating how our cosmetic industry would have been delayed if it wasn’t for Egypt’s use of kohl.
Cameron Ramirez
I did not think that back in ancient Egypt that the Egyptian people would be wearing eyeliner. I was surprised that not only did the women wear kohl around their eyes but men also practiced the same actions. I don’t think we give enough credit to the people of ancient Egypt and their creativity with many things. I have never heard of kohl and I have very little knowledge about beauty product but I found your article very informative and interesting. Keep up the good work!
Evelin Joseph
As an avid user of makeup and other cosmetics, the subject of this article greatly interested me! It was great to learn more about the origins of stuff that I use every day and was even surprised to learn that it actually dates back to 4,000 B.C.E. It was astonishing to learn that the eye wear had medicinal properties as well. It protected them from the sun’s harmful rays and served as a disinfectant to the people. Just like us today, they used it in different ways, styles, and with different colors.